ASK WHY? Docs doesn't just bring young peoples' attention to an important issue - it puts them into the same room as someone with lived experience of it.

The new season of the educational project kicked off on September 4th with 581 students from ten schools in Copenhagen, and a brand new film and guest.

Follow You Home follows the stories of Afghan refugee brothers Popal and Darmal, who are reunited in Denmark after 9 years apart. When Darmal’s asylum claim is rejected, their dreams about a future together begin to collapse. With the help of a kind couple and a human right’s lawyer, Popal fights not to lose his little brother again.

Popal Naseri, the film's protagonist, joined all three screenings in Copenhagen and in Svendborg the following week, sharing his harrowing story with 1,022 students in total.

Denmark has been steadily tightening its immigration laws over the past five years, and now has one of the most restrictive paths to citizenship in Europe. As it stands, half of the Asylum applications submitted in Denmark are rejected, and many migrants are left with no choice but to return to the country they risked their lives to escape.

This is something that really hit home with the students:

"It really occurred to me how it actually works when someone flees their country. I knew it was hard to be a refugee, but I didn't know it was that hard. We have learned to appreciate all the opportunities we have just by being citizens - that we can get an education, for example."

- Johanne and Fiona, 8.B Damhusengens Skole

For Popal Naseri, ASK WHY? Docs provides a unique opportunity to share his story with Denmark’s young people:

“It’s amazing to be part of ASK WHY? Docs, ” he says, ‘I get to meet an incredible group of young people, experience their curiosity after watching the documentary and hear their questions about my experience. It helps give the students a better understanding of the Danish asylum process and what refugees go through to stay in Denmark.”

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Popal will join us in seven more locations across the country in November, December and January.